Remote control apparatus



y 1932- H. N. DIXON 1,860,661

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l y H. N.DIXON 1,860,661

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jumpefs 20sed wilh Storage Unit.

INVENTOR.

H: I Dike n A TTORNEY.

y 1932- H. N. DIXON 1,860,661

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

H /\/.D [X 0 n M ATTORNEY.

y 1932. H. N. DIXON 1,860,661

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

H N. D1 x a n,

W 2am N 1 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 31; 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWELL DIXON,SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SW'ITCH & SIGNALCOMPANY,- OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF Pm- SYLVANIA morncommon arrana'rus Application filed February 19, 1931. Serial No.516,916.

My invention relates to apparatus for establishing a route for an objector vehicle, and is particularly adapted for, though not limited to, theestablishing of a route for cars or cuts of cars in railwayclassification yards.

I will describe certain forms of my invention, and will then point outthe novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawin s, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a preerred track layout of a classification yard consisting of eight tracks.Figs. 2, 2 and 2, when placed together in the order named, with Fig.2 onthe left, constitute a diagrammatic view of one form of apparatusembodying my inven tion when applied to the classification yard shown inFig. 1. Fig. 3'is a diagrammatic view of a preferred form of apparatusto register the automatic controlprovided by the apparatus shown inFigs. 2 2 and 2. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a second form ofapparatus that may be used with my invention at registration pointslocated along a route. In the several views, like reference charactersdesignate like parts.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is disclosed by way of illustration, thetrack 1a out for a classification yard consisting of elght tracksdesignated by the reference characters 21 to 28, inclusive, it beingunderstood that my invention is in no way limited to this or to anyspecific number of tracks, but it is thought that the classificationyard shown in the Fig. 1, is sufficient to fully disclose the systemembodyingmy invention. The switches designated by the referencecharacters 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 are each to be operated by a powerswitch machine of any of the several types now in general use. As theoperating units and the o erating circuits of these switch machines ormno part of my invention they are omitted from the figure for the sake ofclearness. In this instance the control for the switch machines shown inthe drawings is that necessary for an electropneumatic machine of thedirect acting type which is now used at many places for the operation ofthe switches of classification yards. .While this system of control isapplicable to classification yards, irrespective of whether car retarderequipment is used or not, such 'retarder equipment forms no part of myinvention and is therefore not shown in the figures.

Each switch of m invention is provided preferably with a short detectortrack circuit. Looking at switch 2for illustration, the track rails arearranged into a track section by the insulated rail joints a afterthethis section. As shown in the Fig. 1, this detector track circuitpreferably extends from a few feet in front of the switch points to apoint located-near the frog rail-that is, the section is made just longenough to insure that a switch cannot be thrown under a car. Thisrequires the section to be not less than the maximum spacing between thetrucks of a freight car which for practical purposes in the past hasbeen considered 39 ft. A detector track section is arranged at eachswitch in a similar manner and is provided with a like track circuit.

In my invention the destination of a car or cut of cars is registered atvarious points between the hump and the most remote switch of the yard.While such registration may be accomplished in different ways, apreferred form is to use the detector track section located at eachswitch plus a few additional similar track sections, the number of whichwill'depend on the layout of the track and the minimum space desiredbetween cuts or cars. In the Fig. 1, additional detector track sectionsare provided at the locations 3, 5, 7,

9, 11 and 13. Each of these additional tracksections is insulated in theusual manner and provided with a track circuit consisting of a batteryconnected across the rails at one end and a track relay TR connectedacross the railsat the opposite end. As this system requires theclearing of a track circuit between each cut of cars in order to releasethe registration of the destination of that cut of cars,

' at the up the cuts of cars cannot be spaced less than 39 ft. apartwhen the registration is accomplished by means of detector trackcircuits. In some instances, an armature operated b some one of thetrack relays is' shown in e figures in a location that is not adjacentto the relay. In each such case the armature is given a referencecharacter and directly above the armature is placed the referencecharacter of the relay by which that armature is operated.

Referring to Figs. 2, 2', and 2, there s provided a push button panel PBwhich is indicated by dotted lines at the extreme lefthand end of Fig.2!. On this panel PB, which is located at some central ofice, there ismounted a push button for each track of the classification yard and inthe Fig. 29, these push buttons are given a reference charactercorresponding to the reference charac ter of the track with which thepush button is asoeiated. In other words, the push but ton 21 isassociated with the track 21, push button 22 with the track 22 and so onfor each of the 8 push buttons and tracks. By the operation of thesepush buttons, the operator is able to effect the setting u of a routefrom the hump to the classi cation track correspondin to the push buttonoperated. These pus buttons normally occupy the position as shown inFig. 2 and when manually depressed, contact is broken r or front contactand made at the lower or ack contact. When not. under manual operation,the push buttons return to their normal position.

At each registration point which in Fig. 1 is at each switch and at eachtrack section between the track switches, there is provided a pluralityof registering relays. These registering relays are designated in theFigs. 2, 2", and 2 by the reference character S with the prefixcorresponding to the location and a suflix corresponding to theclassification track toward which it directs a car or cut of cars. Ateach registration point there is provided one of such registering relaysfor each track towards which a car may be directed from thatregistration point. Thus the number of registering relays required atthe switch 2, which is the first switch below the hum will be 8corresponding to the total num r of tracks of the classification yard.At the location 4, there will be required four registering relaysbecause a car will pass location 4 for any one of the tracks 21, 22, 23and 24. At the location 6 there will be reqgired but two registeringrelays one for eac of the tracks 21 and 22. In like manner the number ofregistering relays r0 vided at each of the other locations of ig. 1corresponds to the number of classification tracks towards which a carmay be directed from that registration point.

At each registration point there is also provided one lock-out relaydesi ated by the reference character LO, prefixe by a numeralcorresponding to the location, and one slow-releasin track repeaterrelay desi nated by the re erence character TRP pre xed b a numeralcorresponding to the location. 'I hus for each registration point thereis provided a plurality of registering relays, one

but are here shown in a preferred formwhich is of the ty e disclosed inthe L. V. Lewis a plication or Letters Patent in the United gtates,Serial No. 363,047, filed May 14, 1929, when equipped with continuitytransfer contacts-that is, the front contact is arranged to be closedbefore the mating back contact is opened as the relay is energized. Ateach location throughout the system, there is provided a source ofcurrent, which is not shown in the figures for the sake of clearness,the positive terminal being indicated by the reference character B andthe negative terminal by the reference character In describing thecontrol circuits, I shall I assume that a car is to pass from the bumpto the track 21. The 0 erator ushes the button 21 which closes t ecircuit to relay 2521 from positive terminal B throu h the back contact15 of push button 21, Wire 30, a back contact 31 of the relay 2S21,winding of rela 2S21, a second back contact 32 of relay 2%21, a backcontact 33 of the lock-out relay 2L0 and to the negative terminal C ofthe source of current. The energization of relay 2S21 closes a stickcircuit that extends from the positive terminal B through a back contact34 of the track repeater rela 2TRP, winding of the look-out relay 2L6:front contact 35 of the relay 2S21, windin of relay 2821, a second frontcontact 36 an to the negative terminal C. In other words, the energizingof the registerin relay 2S21 opens its pick-up circuit at the backcontact 31 and closes a stick circuit that includes its two frontcontacts 35 and 36 and the winding of the look-out relay 2L0 and whichcircuit is so arranged that the two relays 2L0 and 2821 are retainedenergized in series. The energizin of relay 2S21 closes its front contact 37 w 'ch permits current to flow from the positive terminal Bthrough the contact 37, wire 38, a normally closed contact 39 of a pushbutton 2RB located at the switch 2 and which will be referred to later,a normally closed contact 40 of a second push button 2NB also located atswitch 2, wire 41,

' front contact of the armature 42 of track relay 2TB, control magnet 2Bof theswitch machine for the switch 2, rectifier 43 and to the negativeterminal C. The energizing of the control magnet 2R brings about thereversing of the switch 2 of Fig. 1 to direct a car from the humptowards the track 21. The energizing of the registering relay 2821 alsocloses its front contact 44 to supply current from the positive terminalB through contact 44, wire 45, back contact 46 of a registering relay3821 at the location 3, winding of relay 3821, a second back contact 47of 3821, back contact 48 of the associated lockout relay 3L0 and to thenegative terminal C.

As the registering relay 3821 is energized, its pick-up clrcuit isopened at the back contact 46 and a stick circuit is completed for thisrelay that extends from the positive terminal B through the back contact49 of track repeater relay 3TRP, winding of the associated lock-outrelay 3L0, front contact 50 of relay 3821, winding of relay 3821, asecond front contact 51 and to the negative terminal C. In other wordsthe registering relay 3821 is first picked upby current supplied fromthe location 2 and then stuck energized in series with the associatedlock-out relay by current from a local source in exactly the same mannerthat the registering relay 2821 is first energized by current suppliedthrough the push button 21 and then stuck energized in series with itsassociated lock-out relay 2L0. The energizing of the registering relay3821 closes the front contact 52 and current flows from the positiveterminal B through contact 52 along wire 53 and back contact 54, windingof the registering relay 4821 at the location 4, a second back contact55, a back contact 56 of the associated lock-out relay 4L0 and to thenegative terminal C. As the relay 4821 becomes energized, its pickupcircuit is opened and its stick circuit is closed so that current flowsfrom the positive terminal B through the back contact 57 of theassociated track repeater relay 4TRP,

winding of the look-out relay 4L0, front contact 58, winding of 4821, asecond front contact 59 and to the negative terminal C. Again it isnoted that the registering relay 4821 is first picked up by current fromthe location to the rear and then retained energi'zed in series with theassociated lock-out relay by current supplied at the same location. Theclosing of the front contact 60 of the registering relay 4821' directscurrent from the positive terminal B through contact 60, wire 61,normally closed contact 62 of a push button 4RB located at the switch 4,normally closed contact 63 of a push button 4NB, contact 64 of the trackrelay 4TB, the normal control magnet 4N, recifier 65 and to the negativeterminal C. The energizing of the control magnet 4N positions the switch4 normal, 1f the switch is not already in its normal position, to directa car or cut of cars-towards the classification track 21. The energizingof the registering relay 4821 also closes a front contact 66 to supplycurrent to the registering relay 5821 located at the registration point5, the circuit being similar to the circuits already traced inconnection "with the registering relays 2821, 3821 and 4821. Once therelay 5821 is energized, its stick circuit which includes the look-outrelay 5LO is closed and these two relays are then retained energized.With the registering relay 5821 energized to close its front contact 67,current is then supplied from the positive terminal B throu h thecontact 67 to the registering relay 6 21 located at the switch 6, thecircuit in this instance being similar to the circuits traced fortheregistering relays at'the proceeding registration points. With thefront contact 68 of relay 6821 closed, current is directed to the normalmagnet 6N of theswitch machine for the switch 6. The circuit forenergizing the normal magnet 6N ing similar to that traced for thecontrol magnets at the switch locations 2 and 4. If the switch 6 is notalready normal, it will be so positioned by the energizing of itscontrol magnet 6N to direct the car to the classification track 21. I

To sum up the system thus far, a momentary closing of the push button 21by the operator results in the switches 2, 4 and 6 being properly linedup for a car to move from the hump to the classification track 21, andat each registration point along the route, the look-out relay and thecorresponding reg istering relay are retained energized to preventcurrent being supplied to any other registering relay to set up anyconflicting route.

In the event the operator desires to direct a car or out of cars to theclassification yard 22, he presses the push button 22 on his operatingpanel to close the contact 691 The closing of the contact 69 of the pushbutton 22 permits current to flow from the positive terminal B throughthe normally closed con tact 7 0 of the push button 21, the now closedcontact 69 of push button 22, back contact 71 of the registering relay2822. winding of this registering relay, a second back contact 72, wire73, back contact 33 of the associated lockout relay 2L0 and to thenegative terminal C. With the picking up of a registering relay 2822,its stick circuit is closed and which extends from the positive terminalB through the back contact 34 of the track repeater relay 2TRP, windingof the look-out relay 2L0, wire 16, front contact 74 of the registeringrelay 2822, winding of this relay, front contact 75 and to the negativeterminal C. It will be noted that the registering relay 2822 is serieswith the associated lock-out relay 2L0 in exactly the same manner thatthe relay 2821 was operated when the operator selected the usb button21.

T e energizing of the re isterin relay 2822 supplies current from t epositive terminal B through its front contacts 76, wire 38 and over thecircuit previously traced to the reverse control magnet 2B of the switchmachine for the switch 2. The energizing of 2R insures that the switch 2is reversed to direct a car from the hump towards the track 22. Theenergizing of the relay 2822 also closes its front contact 78 to permitcurrent to flow from positive terminal B in a circuit leading to theregistering relay 3822 at the location 3, and registering relay 3822becomes energized in series with its lock-out relay 3LO in the samemanner as has been previously ointed out for other registering re-vlays. T e energizing of the relay 3822 now closes its front contact 79and current is supplied to the circuit leading to the registering relay4822 at the location 4 and that relay becomes energized. As the contact80 of the relay 4822 is closed, current is supplied to the normalmagnet'4N of the switch machine at the switch 4 over the circuitpreviously traced and switch 4 is moved to its normal position, if it isnot already occupying that position, to direct the car towards the track22. Again the energizing of the registering relay 4822 closes the frontcontact 81 and current is supplied to the registering relay 5822. Inturn the energizing of the registering relay 5822 supplies current tothe registering relay 6822. As the relay 6822 becomes energized to closeits front contact 82, current is supplied to the reverse control magnetGB of the switch machine for the switch 6 and the switch 6 is reversedto direct the car to the classification track 22.

A further inspection of the Figs. 2*, 2 and 2 will disclose that theoperation of any one of the push buttons on the panel PB will result inthe energizing of the registering relay and the lock-out relay at eachregistration point between the hump and the classification track towardswhich the particular push button operated directs a car. Also that theenergizing of the registering relay at each switch location selects theproper control magnet of the switch machine to roperly position theswitch to route the car rom the hump to the classification trackcorresponding to the push button operated.

Attention is called to the fact that at the location 2 that the enerizing of any one of the registering relays 2 21, 2822, 2823, and 2824will result in the switch 2 being set reverse as the reverse position ofthat switch directs a car to any one of the tracks 21, 22, 23 and 24.Likewise the energizing of any one of the registering relays 2825, 2826,2827 and 2828 results in the switch 2 being set normal as the normalposition of the switch 2 directs a car to any one of the tracks 25, 26,27 and 28. At location 4 the relays 4821 and 4822 position the switch 4normal and the relays 4823 and 4824 position the switch 4 reversed.-Again at the location 6 the energizing of relay 6821 positions switch 6normal and the energizing of the relay 6822 positions the switch 6reversed. The groups of relays at the location 8 control the switch 8,in a manner similar to that described for the relays at the location 6,to direct a car to either the track 23 or 24. The intermediate oradditional registration points 3 and 5 are provided that cars or cuts ofcars ma follow each other from the hump to the c assification tracks 21or 22 at closer intervals as will appear as the specificationprogresses. At the switch location 10 the groups of relays correspond innumber to those at the location 4. Again at the locations 12 "and 14,the groups of relays correspond to those described for the location 6inasmuch as there are but two divergingroutes at each of the locations12 and 14. In order to sim lify the figures, the groups of relays forthe ocations 11, 12, 13 and 14 have been omitted from the figures asthey are'duplicates of those shown for the locations 5, 6, 7 and 8,respectively, and it is thought that they would add pothing to theunderstanding of my invenion.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that additional tracks canbe added to the lay-out by providing additional push buttons on thecontrol panel to corres nd to these additional tracks, and by provi 'ngadditional registering rela s to correspond to the additional routes, anby providing additional re istration points with the necessary rela s.he new groups of relays and the additional registering relays added tothe present groups will all function in a manner similar to thosealready described and .thus the addition of these tracks and apparatuswill not depart from the scope of my invention.

I shall now assume that three cars or cuts of cars which I shall call X,Y and Z proceed over the hump and that it is desired to direct thesecars into the tracks 21, 22 and 24, respectively. As car X reaches thehump, the operator pushes the button 21 which completes the line up ofthe group of relays from ocation 2 to the location 6 in,the manner abovedescribed setting each switch in turn in a position to direct the car Xto the track 21. The energizing of the lockout relay at each locationalong this route prevents the setting up of the route for any of thefollowing cars until the car X proceeds to each sucv cessive location torelease the selected group of relaysin the manner about to be described.As car X enters upon the track section at the switch 2 and shunts thetrack relay 2TB, an

auxiliary power connection is closed through the back contact 83 of thetrack relay 2TB to the stick circuitof the relays 2L0 and 2821. Also thedeenergizing of the track relay 2TB causes the track repeater relay 2TRPto become energized by current flowing from the positive terminal Bthrough the front contact 84 of relay 2L0, back contact 85 of relay 2TB,winding of relay 2TRP and to the negative terminal C. The picking up ofrelay 2TRP opens the back contact 34, however the relays 2LO and 2821are still retained energized by current through the back contact 83.When the car X vacates the track section at the switch location 2, trackrelay 2TB picks up to open the stick circuit for 2LO and 2821 at theback contact 83 and also to open the circuit forthe repeater relay 2TB?at the back contact 85. As the relay 2TRP is slow-releasing, the relays2L0 and 2821 become deenergized before the back contact 34 of relay2TRP'is closed and thus the relays at location 2 are restored to theirnormal condition. As the car X advances past the switch 2, the secondcar Y is pushed down the hump, and the operator operates the push button22 to start the lining up of the route from the hump to the track 22 forthe second car Y. The closing of the lower contact of the push button 22energizes the registering relay 2822 and this relay is then retainedenergized in series with the look-out relay 2L0 in the same manner as itwas energized in series with relay 2821. However,

the routing of the car Y will not immediately proceed beyond thelocation 2 due to the fact that the route for the car X is still ineffect at the location 3. As the car X enters the track section atlocation 3. the operation of the relays following the shunting of thetrack relay 3TB is the same as that described for the location 2 when.its track relay 2TB was shunted. As the car X vacates the track circuitat the location 3 and the relay 3TB picks up, the look-out relay 3L0 andthe registering relay 3821 are deenergized due to the slow-releasingfeature of the track repeater relay 3TlRP. As soon as relay 3L0 closesits back contact 48 the relay 3822 is picked up by the circuit closed atthe front contact 78 of relay 2822 and the relavs 3822 and 3L0 areretained energized by their stick circuit. As the car X enters andvacates the track circuit of the track section at the location 4, theselected group of relays at location 4 function in the same manner asthe relays at the locations 2 and 3 functioned as the car X passed thesepoints, and the route is then at once set up for the following car Y.Likewise at the location 5, the relays function in the same manner ashas been previously described. as the car X advances past this point. Atthe location 6. as soon as the car X passes on into the classificationtrack 21, the registering relay 6822 is energized and the energizing ofrelay 6822 selects the reverse position of the switch 6 to direct. thefollowing car Y into the classification track 22. As soon as the .car Yrouted for the track 22 leaves the location 2 and the car Z is starteddown the hump, the operator starts the routmg of the car Z by closingthe push button 24. This time, as soon as the car Y vacates the trackcircuit at the location 4, the selecting of the relay 4824 will causeswitch 4 to be reversed to direct the car Z towards the track 24 and asthe route of car Y no longer confiicts with the route for the car Z, thesetting up of the complete route for the car Z to the track 24 willimmediately follow. It is apparent from the foregoing description thatthe operation of this system permits cars or cuts of cars to follow eachother from the hump to the distant classification tracks with a spacingequal to that of the distance between the registration points.

In my system where the control of each route of a plurality of routes isautomatically stored in response to the actuating of a push button, thatis to the momentary closing of a circuit corresponding to the respectiveroute, the system readily lends itself to the registering in advance ofa plurality of routes which are to be successively lined up.

In Fig. 3 is shown a preferred form of apparatus which may be used toregister in advance, a plurality of successive routes to be set up for aseries of cars or trains. In the Fig. 3 there is shown a registering orstorage panel that may be used in connection with the classificationyard shown in the Fig. 1.

By means of this panel, an operator can take the train sheet of a trainto be classified and register the classification track to which each caror cut of cars is designated. Then as the train is pushed over the humpand the cuts of cars detached, the route for each car will beautomatically set up in the order registered on the storage panelwithout any further attention on the part of the operator.

On the panel of Fig. .3, there is provided receptacles of the telephonetype. The receptacles being arranged for convenience in horizontal andvertical rows. A horizontal row is provided for each track in theclassification yard and a vertical row for each storage desired. In Fig.3, there is shown eight horizontal rows of receptacles, one for each ofthe eight tracks of the classification yard of the Fig. 1 and sixvertical rows to provide six distinct storages. It will be evident asthe description progresses that any number of storages may be providedfor by the addition of further vertical rows of receptacles and thataddtional classification tracks may be provided for by the addition of acorresponding number of horizontal rows of receptacles. In the Fig. 3,the receptacles of each horizontal row are given the reference charactercorresponding to the row with which it is associated plus a prefix A forone relay and a prefix O for the other relay. Also an indicating lightis provided 10 for each vertical row of receptacles which is belongingto the designated in the Fig. 3, by the numeral corresponding to the rowplus a sufiix A. When the storage panel is used in button panel PB ofthe Fig. 2", the storage panel circuits indicated by the-arrow at theright-hand end of the Fig. 3 are to be connected to the line having thesame track numeral shown at the left of the push button panel PB of theFig. 2.

One plug is provided for each vertical row of storage receptacles. Ifthe first car or cut ,of cars listed on the train sheet is designatedfor the track 24 the operator will insert the plug belonging to thefirst vertical row of receptacles into receptacle 24 of that row. If thenext car or cut-of cars is designated for the track 25, the operatorwill insert the plug second vertical row of receptacles into receptacle25 of that row. If the third cut of cars is designated for track 21, theoperator will insert theplug belonging to the third row into thereceptacle 21 of the third vertical row, and likewise one plug will beinserted in each vertical row of-receptacles for each cut of cars andthis plug will be inserted in the horizontal row corresponding to thetrack for which that cut of cars is desi ated. In this instance themaximum nuni r of cuts of cars that can be stored at any one time willbe six. However, as stated above any number of such cuts can be arrangedfor by the addition of more vertical rows of receptacles.

Assuming the above registration has been made for the classification ofthe three separatecuts of the cars mentioned above, name- #3 the firstcut for track 24, the second cut I or track 25 and the thirdfor thetrack 21. As soon as the train advances to the bump, the operator willclose the switch AA which will energize the relay A1 over the followincircuit; positive terminal B, switch AA, front contact 86 of the trackrelay 2TB, wire 87, back contact 88 of relay 06, back contact 89 ofrelay A6, back contact 90 of relay 05, back contact 91 of relay A5 andback contacts 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98 of the relays 04, A4, 03,A3, 02, A2, and 01, respectively, wire 132, winding of relay A1 and tothe negative terminal C. It will be noted that as the plug was insertedin the receptacle 24 of the first row, that the lamp 1A was lighted bycurrent flowing from the positive terminal B through the back contact 99of the relay 06, back contact 100 of the relay A6 and then place of thepush p through a back contact of each of the relays '25 and to thenegative terminal C. Also the lamp 3A is lighted by a similar circuit asthe lug was inserted in the receptacle 21 of the third row to close thecontact of that rece tacle.

e energizing of the relay A1 closes the front contact 106 and permitscurrent to flow from the positive terminal B through contact 106, thenow closed contact 107 of the receptacle 24 of the first row, controlwire 108, thence to the corresponding wire 108 of Fig. 2 and to therelay 2824 to energize that registering relay. in the same manner as waspointed out earlier in the descri tion in connection with the operationof t e push buttons. Following the energizing of the relay 2S24, theroute is set' u for the first cut of cars from the hump to theclassification track 24 to which that cut is designated. As the firstcut of cars passes down the bump to the location 2 and there shunts thetrack relay 2TB, the deenergizing of the rela 2TR opens the frontcontact 86 and closes t e back contact 110. However the energizing ofthe relay A1 closed the front contact 109 and relay Al is stuckenergized by current flowing from the positive terminal B over the samecircuit traced for the lamp A1 up to the wire 101 and then from thatpoint through the contact 109, winding of relay A1 and to the negativeterminal C. The closing of the back contact 110' of the track relay 2TBsupplies current to the relay 01 from the positive terminal B throughcontact 110, front contact 111 of the relay A1, winding of relay O1, andto the negative terminal C. The en ergizing of relay 01 opens the backcontact 112 in the stick circuit in the relay A1 and also the backcontact 98 in the pick-up circuit of relay A1 and that relay thusbecomes g deenergized. The energizing of relay 01 also opens the circuitto the lamp 1A and extinguishes this light indicating to the operatorthat this first cut of cars X has passed over the hump and is atlocation 2. The relay O1 is retained energized after the deenergizing ofthe relay A1 by a stick circuit that includes its own front contact 113.With contact 113 closed, current flows from the positive terminal Bthrough the circuit that includes the back contact 99 of the relay O6and a back contact of each of the relays of Fig. 3 in turn up to its ownback contact 112 from which point the circuit extends through Ill As thefirst out of cars X vacates the tracksection at the switch location 2,the track relay 2TB again becomes energized to close its front contact86 and the circuit by which current was previously supplied to the relayA1 is again closed. This time however the relay O1 is energized andcurrent flowing in th's circuit is supplied through the front contact114 of relay O1 to the relay A2 and that relay becomes energized. Theenergizing of relay A2 opens the stick circuit of the relay 01 at backcontact 115 to deenergize that relay and at the same time that the backcontact 115 is opened the front contact 116 is closed so that the relayA2 is now stuck energized. The energizing of relay A2 supplies currentfrom the positive terminal B through its front contact 117 and the nowclosed contact 118 of the receptacle 25 of the second row ofreceptacles, along control wire 119 and thence to the corresponding wire119 of Fig. 2 and to the registering relay 2325. The energizing of theregistering relay 2825 is followed by the setting up of the route fromthe hump to the track 25 in the same manner as would have followed theop-- eration of the push button 25. That is, the energizing of theregistering relay 2S25 sets in motion, the setting up of the route forthe second cut of cars Y from-the hump to the classification track 25which will take place as fast as the first cut of cars X advances torelease the energized relays at the various locations along the route ofthe car X to the track 24. In this instance, as the route to the track25 diverges at switch 2 from the route to the track 24 which is thedestination of the first cut of cars, the route for the second cut ofcars will be at once completed as soon as the first cutvacates the tracksection at the location 2.

As the second cut of cars Y advances down the hump tothe location 2 andshunts track relay 2TB, the closing of the back contact 110 of relay 2TBsupplies current through the now closed front contact 120 of the relayA2 to the relay O2 energizing that relay. The energizing of relay 02opens the stick circuit to the relay A2 at the back contact 121 and atthe same time closes its own stick circuit at its front contact 122.Relay A2 now becomes deenergized to open its own stick circuit atcontact 116 and the pick-up circuit for the relay 02 at the contact 120.As relay 02 becomes energized, the lamp 2A is ex tinguished to indicatethat the second cut of cars Y has proceeded down the hump to location2'. As this second cut of cars vacates the track section at location 2and the track relay 2TB again picks up, current is again supplied to thecircuit that was traced for energizing the relays A1 and A2. This timehowever, the relay 02 being energized, the

current is diverted at the front contact 123 to the relay A3 and thatrelay is energized;

As the relay A3 becomes energized, it opens the stick circuit for therelay 02 at the back contact 124 and closes its own stick circuit at thefront contact 125. Front contact 126 of the relay A3.being now closed,current is supplied from the positive. terminal B through contact 126,the now closed contact 127 of the receptacle 21 of the third row ofreceptacles and then by the control wire 128 to the corresponding wire128 of Fig. 2 and thence to the registering relay 2321. Relay 2821 isthus energized the same as if the operator had actuated the push button21 immediately after the second cut of cars had vacated the tracksection at location 2. The selecting of the relay 2821 sets in motionthe setting up of the route for the third cut of cars Z from the hump tothe classification track 21. As the route to track 25 for the second cutdiverges at switch 2 from the route to the track 21, then the route forthe third cut will be at once completed irrespective of the progress ofthe second cut of cars. However, it will be recalled that the first cutof cars is designated for the track 24 and thus the route for the thirdcut of cars to the track 21 can be completed only as fast as the firstcut of cars advance past the registration points. In like manner theroute for any other out of cars will be automatically set up by theapparatus of Fig. 3 providing a plug has been previously inserted in theproper receptacle. As stated above, the panel disclosed in Fig. 3 onlyprovides for six 'separate cuts of cars, but it'is apparent that alarger number of cuts of cars can be registered by the addition of morevertical rows of receptacles.

The relays A1, 01, A2, 02, A3, 03, etc. therefore constitute a chain ofrelays operating, as the track relay 2TB becomes alternately deenergizedand energized, to carry out the control of the routes afiected by theplugs inserted in the various receptacles. In place of operating thischain of relays by the track relay 2TB, they may be operated by means ofa push button 131, in the event the switch AB is closed and the switchAA left lVhile in this description, it has been considered that thecontrol is either by means of a manually operated push button panel orby automatic means of a storage panel, it is apparent that both can beprovided and the system operated from either.

It becomes obvious from the foregoing description that the difi'erentcuts of cars can be spaced no closer than the distance betweenregistrationpoints. Where it becomes desirable to space cars closer thanthat at which detector track sections can be conveniently installed orin the event such detector track sections are not practical, then analternative plan may be arranged for such registration points as isdisclose in the Fig. 4.

In this case, a light sensitive unit is provided at each registrationpoint. In Fig. 4,

two such registration points 3 and 3" are shown located between theswitch 2 and the switch 4 of the Fi 1. At the locations 3 and 3, thereis provi ed li ht sensitive units U and U, respectively. ach of theseunits is characterized by a decrease in electrical resistance in respectto increase in intensity of the light to which it is exposed. Forexample, they may be photo-electric cells and the unit U of location 3located on one side of the track opposite an electric lam elements to beso positioned tliat normally U receives light rays from the lamp L butthese light rays are intercepted by the body of the car passing thislocation. The lamp L is constantly supplied with power from anyconvenient source such as a transformer T The circuit for the 3TB relayat this location includes a battery 136 and the light unit U The circuitis so adjusted that with U exposed to the light rays of L, the currentflow is sufiicient to retain relay 3TB energized, while when the raysare intercepted b a car, the current is so reduced in value t at thearmatures controlled by the relay 3aTR drop. At the location 3', thelamp L and the light unit U are positioned in a manner similar-to thatdescribed for the location 3 and they con trol the relay 3aTR in thesame manner that the relay .3TR is controlled at the location 3. Therelays 3TB and 3aTR can be utilized to control groups of lock out andregisterin relays in the same manner as the track re ays of Figs. 2', 2"and 2. By the arran ement of Fig. 4, it is apparent that registrationpoints can be installed as close together as desired and the cuts ofcars can follow each other from the hump, to the designatedclassification track atextremely close intervals.-

It is sometimes desirable to operate a trimlner engine out of oneclassification track into another classification track. At each switchlocation, there is provided two non-stick push buttons for local controlof the switch machine at that point. Referring to the switch 2 of theFig. 2', the two push buttons 2NB and 2RB are located at the switch. Inthe magnet 2R, rectifier 43, and to the negative terminal C. The resultof the magnet 2R being ener ized is that the switch 2 is reversed. In asimi ar manner should the switch 2 be in its reverse position and it isdesired to move L These two it to its normal osition, the brakeman bydepressing the pus button 2NB will disconnect the automatic controlcircuits and supply current to the normal magnet 2N through the contact129 with the result that the switch is ositioned normal. Similar pushbuttons are ocated at each switch of my system.

While in the views here shown my invention is applied to the control ofthe routes of a railway classification yard it is to be understoodthat-it is equally adaptable to many other locations where a pluralityof permissive routes are available for a car or vehicle. Such a systemas here'disclosed provides a convenient and simple method forestablishing a route and for insuring that a route when once establishedcan not be prematurely changed and that the route will be the respectivecuts of cars than is possib obtain in a system when individual controlof each switch is used, while the advantage obtained by being able toregister in advance the classification of a complete train will beapparent to all those familiar. with this class of work.

Although I have herein shown and described only certain forms ofapparatus em;- bodying my invention, it is understood that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

Having thus described by invention, what I claim is:

1. A control system including, a plurality of routes over which anobject may pass, controlling devices located at intervals along each ofsaid routes, a control means for each route located at a central oflicewhich when operated selectively governs the controlling devices toestablish the route'with which said operated control means isassociated, means rendered active by the selected controlling devices toretain the established route irrespective of said control means, andmeans responsive to an object passing over said route to release theselected controlling devices.

' 2. A control system including, a plurality of routes over which anobject can pass, a plurality of registration points located at intervalsalong each of said routes, a plurality of controlling devices for eachregistration point one for each route, a control means or each routelocated at a central oflice which when operated selects the controllingdevice at each registration point along the respective route toestablish the route, lockout means for each registration point renderedactive by'the selected controlling device to retain the establishedroutes irrespective of the control means, andmeans responsive to anobjectpassing a registration point to release the selected controllingdevice and the lookout means at that point.

3. A control system including, a plurality of routes, over which anobject can pass, a registration point included in all of said routes, aregistering relay for each route, a control means for each route whichwhen operated selects the registering relay for the respective route toestablish the route, a lockout relay rendered active by theselectedregistering relay to prevent the selecting of a registering relay by anyother control means, and means responsive to an object passing theregistration point to release the selected registering relay and saidlockout relay.

4. A control system including, a plurality of routes over which anobject can pass, a registration point included in all of said routes, aregistering relay for each route, a

control means for each route which when operated selects the registeringrelay for the respective route to establish the route for an object, alookout relay rendered active by the selected registeringrelay toprevent the selecting of a registering relay by any other control means,a storage means rendered-active by the selected registering relay toretain the established route irrespective of the control means thatselected the registering relay, and means responsive to the objectpassing the registration point to release the selected registering relayand the lookout relay.

5. A control system including a plurality of routes over which an objectmay pass, a plurality of registration points located at intervals alongsaid routes, means located at a central point to select a given routefor an object, means located at each registration point along the routeselected to prevent. a change in the route by themeans located at thecentral oflice, and means responsive to the object passing aregistration point to release the route at that point.

6. A control system including, a route over which an object may pass, aplurality of registration points located at intervals along said route,a registering relay for each registration point, manual controlled meansto energize the said registering relays to establish the route for thepassage of an object, a storage means associated with each registeringrelay rendered active by the energizing of said registering relay toretain the route set for the object irrespective of said manualcontrolled means, and means responsive to the object passing aregistration point to deenergize the registering relay at that point.

7. Acontrol system, including a railway classification yard, having ahump and a plurality of'classification' tracks, means to establish aroute from the hump to each of the classification tracks, a plurality ofregistration points located at intervals along each route, a pluralityof registering relays for each registration point, one relay for eachregistering relay by the control means of another route, and meansresponsive to a car passing a registration point to release the lockoutmeans and the registering relay at that point. J

8. A control system, including a railway classification ard having aplurality of classification trac s, a plurality of track switches eachhaving a normal and a reverse position and capable of arrangement invarious combinations as to normal and reverse positions to form arespective route leading to each classification track, a control meansfor each route located at a central office, means selected by eachcontrol means when operated to arrange the switches for the respectiveroute, a lookout means associated with each switch rendered active whenthe switch is selected for a given route to prevent the switch frombeing selected by a control-means of a different route, and meansresponsive to a car passing a switch to release the lockout means.

9. In combination, a railway switch, a normally deenergized registeringrelay, a normally deenergized lockout relay, a pick-up circuit for saidregistering relay; a stick circuit for said registering relay, includingthe winding of said lockout relay and the winding of said registeringrelay in series; remote controlled means to control said pick-upcircuit, means responsive to traific passing said railway switch tocontrol said stick circuit, and means controlled jointly by saidregistering relay and said lockout relay to control the operation ofsaid switch.

10. In combination, a railway switch, a

plurality of relays each capable of controlling v the operation of saidrailway switch, a lookout relay associated with said plurality ofrelays, a remotely controlled means to selectively energize one of saidplurality of relays together with said lockout relay, and means a givenposition of the switch, a storage means res onsive to the energizing ofsaid control re ay to render the remote control means ineffective tocontrol said control relay, and a detector track circuit to deenergizesaid control relay to release said storage means in response to a carpassing over said railwa switch.

12. n combination, a route along which an object passes, a registeringmeans located at a registration point along the route, a remote controlmeans to govern the registering means to establish the route for anobject, a storage means to render said remote control means inefiectiveto govern said registering means once the route is established, andmeans including a 1i ht sensitive unit to restore the control of saidremote control means over said registering means in response to anobject passin over said route.

13. n combination, a route along which a vehicle asses, a control meanslocated at a controlling point along the route, means located at aremote point to govern said control means to establish the route for avehicle, a storage means located at said controlling point to preventthe cancelling of said route when once established, and a detector meansincluding a light sensitive unit to release the storage means to restorethe control of the means at the remote point in response to the vehiclepassing said controlling point.

14. In combination, a chain of normally deenergized relays grouped inpairs, a pickup circuit for energizing the first relay of each pairwhich circuit includes a back contact of the succeeding relays of thechain and a front contact of the second relay of the preceding pair, aick-up circuit for en ergizing the second re ay of each pair whichincludes a front contact of the first relay of the same pair, a stickcircuit for each relay including a back contact of each succeeding relayof the chain to retain the relay energized irrespective of its pick-upcircuit but which stick circuit is ruptured upon the energizing of thesucceeding relay of the chain, means to alternately close the pick-upcircuits of the pairs of relays to effect a successive energizing anddeenergizing of the relays of the chain, and a trafiic control circuitassociated with each pair of relays rendered effective by the energizingof the first relay of the pair.

15. A control system including, a route over which an object may pass, aplurality of registration points located at intervals along said routeto determine the spacing of objects on the route, a registering devicefor each registration point, manually controlled means to energize theregistering devices to set up the route for the passage of an object,lockout means associated with each registering device rendered active bythe energizing of said registering device to retain the route set forthe object irrespective of the manual controlled means, and meansresponsive to the ob'ect passing a registraiton point to release t elockout means to permit the registering'device at that oint to beenergized to set up the route in t e rear of the first object for afollowing object.

16. A control system including, a passageway adaptable of arrangementfor passing an object from a'central point to anyone of a plurality ofdestinations, registration points located at intervals along saidpassageway, a registering device for each registration point, a controlmeans at said central point to selectively influence the registeringdevices to arrange the passageway to direct an object to a givendestination, lockout means associated with each retgistering deviceeffective upon the selectin 0 its associated registering device to rener the control means ineffective to influence the registering device,and means responsive to an object assing a registration point to releasethe loc out means and permit the control means to influence theregistering device for arranging the pasageway for a following object.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

HOWELL N. DI ON.

